Electric gate



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. GILLETTE.

ELECTRIC GATE Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

l W B In VB/itO/j' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. GILLETTE. ELECTRIC GATE.

,114. Patented Dec. 9,1890.

177 Van Lo/i' QLH W- (No Model.) 4 Sheets-8heet 3.

H. GILLETTE. ELECTRIC GATE.

No.- 442,114. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

with 6/66 66 Inventor,-

(No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. H. GILLETTE.

' 4 ELECTRIC GATE. 7 No. 442,114. I Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

I /1 Van 60/! j HARLE en: GILLETTE,"OE HI HLAND PARK, iLLIN Is.

ELECTRIC GATEQ f SPECIFICATION forming part .of Letters Patent 1\ To. 442,114, dated December 9, 1890. 'hpplioation filed July 19,1890, smart. 359,313; (a mo'd'el.) Y r 1 I 1:0 all whom it finay concern:

Be it known that I, HARLEIGH GILLETTE, of Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Gates,

' of which the following is a true specification,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to gates for railway- 1o' crossings, drawbridge-approa'ches, &c., to be worked by means of the electric current; and

it consists of improvements in the electrical circuit closing and breaking devices, whereby the motor is started andautomatica-lly stopped upon the gate-arms reaching either a lowered or raised position.

.Figure 1 is a side view of the motor-circuitclosing device witht'he circuits open, and Fig.

2 shows the same witlrthe circuits closed.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the motor-box and circuit-closing mechanism. Fig.4 is a sectional view of the circuit-closing device in theplane 'a: 00, Fig. .1. Fig.5 is aplan of the gate-post mechanism. Fig. 6 is a plan of the complete 2 5 gate as adapted .to railway-crossings. Fig. 7'

is a view in perspective of the post-supported f conductor for the magnet-circuit. Fig. 8 is a detail section of the post-head, and Fig. 9

shows .the method of making electrical .con- 0 nection with the same from'the engine.

In describing my invention I begin with the motor-box Q, a detailed top view of which is shown inFig. 3 This box, built either'above 'theground or sunk partly'below the surface,

5 as convenience 'dictat es, contain's the electric motor and the entire electrical apparatus needed to operate the gate, withthe exception the battery :or other generatonwhich' is' placed at a distance and connected theretoby 0'" wires in the usualm'ai'iner. From the motor box O p mitted to the fourgate-posts means of the main sh'at'tB and the'two' shafts- 6C. These latter are mechanically conn'e ted -'to B by means t me 'worins,one h'afvfii a' night and th efother a'leitt jscrew,which w s are affixed uponit heshaft B meshingv1th; "cogs'upon the said shafts O'C. As shown in- FigiG, these shafts QC cross therailway ed beneath 'the'rails and-are journal'ed in [o1 The nary. bearings affixed to-tlrecross-ties;

the power is trans; (s F g-1 J r l'l s a i ngeme i i qep l PM? "inch and nc-chat callj connc'cts thenr' 'oit hle affixed to their. .jou'rnalb'ox, as abo v 'tioiied', constitute" the combined fcirc two ends of each are provided with small cogs, which mesh 'with larger wheels Within the four gate-posts. Turning to Fig. 5, it is seen thatthese large wheels are provided with a crank mechanism, by means of which the gate-arm is alternatelyraised and lowered by the forward or positive motion ofthe motor and power-transmitting mechan ism; The details of this crank mechanism are more fully 0 set forth. in my'application for a patenton electric gates filed March 2%, 1890, Serial No. 345,082. 7

Bearing in mind that the 011 r gate-arms are both lowered and raised by the same forward 6 5 or positive motionof the motor, it canbe readily'under'stood that it becomes necessaryto break or shutoff the motor current attwo different positionsof the gate-arms, j Thus fter the motor has been started to'close-thfe g te 7 the circuit must be broken and tl1e; n1o toi"-'- stopped when" the arms have reached their horizontal or lowest extreme and, again, after the motor has been restarted and the gatearms raised the circuit mu'stbe rebroken and the motor stopped at the instant the said arms Y have reached an upright or vertical position.

. Returning to the motor-box, l conne'ct'the motor-shaft A direct to the main' sh'a ft B by a pair of ordinary ,cogs,as shown inthe'dr'aw- So vi'ngs. Upon the ShaftB an'dj within 'the n otor-box is also affixed a wormjl/Y, whichlserv'es the sole purpose "of operating the automatic cutoff device. This worm mesheswithjan ordinary traiuj of cogs for suitably reducing the motion, the last' membe r of which E'fis provided with a short oblong slotf 'abouii half an inch'long running near to and parallelv with its periphery, and carries a shaft whereon is 'journaled "a tubular jdurnfabbbx L, having affixed thereto three smaltparallel" disks, one of; whichfF is pirovid'ed witha pi n f.' whi'ch fits 'ivitlii" the faforesJt l"slot f "gives the threefdisks an of j about; one fourthiotf "an "mot o I The i'hreeffparalleljavheelsj fo'rjdjisks 1i p ing andibrea lev e the 'deta conductor,

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 4, the first or left-hand disk F serves simply to carry the pin f, whereby the mechanical connection is made with the co -train, as aforesaid. The second or center disk F consists of a circular plate of ordinary metallic con ductingmaterial inlaid with a small piece of hard rubber or other insulating material at the point I) of its periphery, and two metallic spring-conductors a and a touch its said periphery at two diam etrically-opposite points. These springconductors are in the electric circuit, joining the motor with the generator. On looking at the drawings itcan be readily perceived that upon every semi-revolution of the disk F the electrical connection between the points of the brushes (1' and a will be broken by the insulated part I), while after the connection is thus broken a very slight forward movement of the said disk F will serve to carry the insulated part beyond the point of the springrecomplete the connection, and consequently rest-art the motor. Should the disk be closely connected to the motor mechanism this would be impossible without moving forward the whole apparatus; but as the pin f within its slotf allows a limited independent motion to the disks a very slight impulse will be sufficient to turn the disk forward and recomplete the motor-circuit. The motor thus being started, the pin f shortly after catches against the opposite side of its oblong slot, and is carried forward, together with the three disks, until the insulated point I) of the conducting-disk F is brought under the opposite brush, when the motor-circuit is again automatically broken and the motor stops.

The third or right-hand disk G is made in the form of a ratchet-wheel and provided with a ratchet-catch pivoted upon the end of a lever composed of soft iron, the opposite or fulcrum end of the same being hinged to the frame-work by any suitable means. This softiron lever 11 constitutes the armature of an ordinary electro-magnet I, securely fastened in position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, on looking at the said Figs. 1 and 2, it is apparent that when the magnet I is energized by an electric current the lever-armature II will be at once attracted, carrying with it the ratchet-disk G, and thereby also moving forward the parallel conducting-disk F sufficiently to recomplete the motor-circuit, as aforesaid.

Having thus described the several parts, their action can be easily comprehended.

To summarize, cuit to be open and the motor-circuit wheel in the position shown in Fig. 1, the circuit of the magnet I on being closed energizes the said magnet and draws to it the lever-armature H. This action turns the ratchet-whee1 G, together with the parallel motor-circuitclosing wheel F to the extent of the independent motion allowed by the pin f within its slot f which is sufiicient to carry the insupposing the motor-cirsulated part 1) beyond the point of the brush a, and thus complete the motor-circu1t-, as shown in Fig. 2. The motor-circuit being closed, the mechanism is operated and the gate is lowered, the brushes a a meanwhile retaining a sliding connection with the conducting-wheel F until the insulated part b 1s brought beneath the brush a to break the en'- cuit at the instant the gate-arms have reached theirextreme horizontal position. On the magnet-circuit being again closed the operation of the lever-armature, ratchet-wheel, &c., is repeated and the motor-circuit reconnected, to remain so until the gate-arms are raised and the circuit again automatically broken.

The magnet I is provided with one or more circuits with circuit-closers for same and an electric generator. In the case of bridgegates, or whenever the gate is to be worked from a stationary operating position, the connection is made by the usual form of pushbutton or other well-known circuit-closers; but

when the connection is to be made from a moving train I use the means illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. This consists of a conductingrod J, supported on insulated posts arranged parallel with the track, the ends of which are depressed or inclined downward, as shown in the drawings, and a hinged conductor L, carried upon the locomotive and manipulated by the engineer. Thus, as the train approaches with the said hinged conductorinahorizontal position, the projecting end of the same strikes the inclined portion of the rod J with a sliding contact and completes the circuit from the said rod J, through the hinged conducting-lever L and the locomotive driving-wheel to the rails R, which act as a return-conductor. Bylifting up the lever before reaching the conducting-rod J the engineer can prevent the completion of the circuit and the consequent closing of the gate, and thus retain control of the same during the entire time that the engine is passing alongside the said rod J, which latter can be extended parallel with the track for an indefinite distance, if desired.

The electric current for operating these gates when the same are arranged in series is generated by dynamo and transmitted by wire carried upon the regular track telegraphpoles, including within its circuit as many gates as are economically practicable, which gates are arranged either directly upon or connected by shunt circuits with the main circuit. In isolated casesI use an ordinary storage or secondary battery, which is charged by one or more cells of a v-oltaic or primary battery. As the gate is operatedintermittingly, it is obvious that during the long intervals of inactivity the voltaic cell will charge the storage-battery sufiiciently to furnish a strong though limited current when called upon to operate the gate, and under the circumstances will answer all the purposes of a more powerful primary battery.

In constructing the gate proper I do not confine myself to the particular form shown. Many other well-known gates can bemechanically adapted to be operated under this electric system, the essential features of my invention being the means for closing and openin gthe motor-circuits. Any form of motor can be used that is adapted to control by an electro-magnetand circuit, as set forth.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In an electric gate, the combinatiomwith the gate proper mechanically connected to an electric motor, with its circuit-generator and automatic circuit-breaker, of a revolving circuit-closer for said circuit, provided with a ratchet and an electro-magnet, the latter being provided with a lever-armature carrying a pawl which acts upon the said ratchet,together with a generator, circuit, and circuitcloser for the electro-niagnet, substantially as specified.

2. In an electric gate, the combination,with the gate proper mechanically connected to an electric motor, with its circuit and generator, of a combined circuit-closer and automatic breaker for said motor-circuit joined loosely to the motor-operated mechanism by a pin and slot, and an electro-magnet provided with an armature mechanically connected to the said circuit-closer, together with a generator, circuit, and circuit-closer for the electro-magnet, substantially as specified.

HARLEIGI-I GILLETTE. Witnesses:

W. H. TRELOAR, BENJ. STICKNEY. 

